Headstock spindle adjustment mechanism for spiral milling machine



R. w. NASHOLD ETAL 3,168,001 HEADSTOCK SPINDLE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Feb.2, 1965 FOR SPIRAL MILLING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 19, 1958 4Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTORS ROBERT W. NASHOLD HERMAN J. BALDWIN VINCENT L.MITCHELL g/zMy ATTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1965 R. w. NASHOLD ETAL 3,168,001

HEADSTOCK SPINDLE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR SPIRAL MILLING MACHINEOriginal Filed Dec. 19. 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 T* l 81 OL \J 31 as a o o5 3! 32 u as M2?) to 1 as 3| II I04 0 o o I 89 o J!!!- 2.

INVENTORS ROBERT W. NASHOLD HERMAN J. BALDWIN VINCENT L. MITCHELLATTORNEYS Feb. 1965 R. w. NASHOLD ETAL 3,168,001

HEADSTOCK SPINDLE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR SPIRAL. MILLING MACHINEOriginal Filed Dec. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS ROBERT W.NASHOLD HERMAN J. BALDWIN VINCENT L. MITCHELL ATTORNEYS 1965 R. w.NASHOLD ETAL 3,168,001

HEADSTOCK SPINDLE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR SPIRAL MILLING MACHINEOriginal Filed Dec. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVE ORS ROBERT w. NASHOLDm HERMAN J. BALDWIN VINCENT L. MITCHELL MZW ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent Ofitice ilfidifil Fatented Feb. 2, 1965 This application is adivision of copending patent application Serial No. 781,747 filedDecember 19, 1958, now Patent No. 3,101,649 granted August 27, 1963, forSpiral Milling Machine.

This invention relates to a machine for generating spiral flutes in theproduction of drills, reamers, counterbores, milling cutters and otherparts requiring the formation of helical or spiral flutes.

The cutting tool is supported by a spindle carrier which is mounted forsliding movement on the bed of the machine. The helix angle of theflutes is determined by the angular setting of a saddle pivoted on thefixed bed of the machine. A work supporting table is guided forlongitudinal sliding movement on the saddle and the work is supportedfor rotation about its longitudinal axis in a fixture carried by thetable. The fixture is provided with one or more headstock spindles whichare rotated under the control of the lead tracer to cause the Work to berotated in synchronism with the longitudinal movement of the table.Where more than one headstock spindle is utilized, provision is made fordisplacing the spindles axially in accordance with the helix angle ofthe flutes so as to align the starting positions of the flutes on eachof the workpieces. By this means, each cutter will make contact with acorresponding point on each of the workpieces so that each cut willstart and stop at the same place on each workpiece. The longitudinaldisplacement of the spindles is effected by a manually settable dialwhich simultaneously adjusts the headstock quills to the properlocations for the selected helix angle which is also applied to thetable by means of the swiveling saddle.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amachine for cutting spiral flutes of varying leads and tapers onworkpieces of varying shapes and sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a direct reading dial foradjusting the displacement of the headstock spindles in accordance withthe selected helix angle of the flutes which is also applied to theswivel saddle.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent fromthe following description, the invention includes certain novel featuresof construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements ofwhich are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form orembodiment of which will hereinafter be described with reference to thedrawings which accoi pany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a right hand end view of a spiral milling machine constructedin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same machine.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view showing the hand lever for swivelingthe saddle.

FlG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2 toshow the construction of the headstock and the dial mechanism for thelead cam.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional View showing the adjusting means forthe headstock spindles.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in PEG. 5.

In the following description, similar reference characters are used todesignate similar or identical elements and portions throughout thespecification and throughout the different views of the drawings.

The invention is shown herein as applied to a fixed bed type millingmachine which is especially suited to the automatic production of spiralfluted parts. It will be recognized, however, as the descriptionproceeds, that the invention could be applied to other types of millingmachines with equally satisfactory results.

Machine tool structure in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the presentdrawings there is shown a fixed bed type production milling machine inwhich a saddle is mounted for pivotal move ment on the bed 31 by meansof a pivot bolt or stud 32'; FIG. 3). The saddle is provided on itsupper surface with dovetail ways for receiving and guiding a table 33for rectilinear movement on the saddle. Traversing movement of the tableon the saddle is eiiected by a h draulic motor 34 mounted on the lefthand end of the table. This motor drives a lead screw which meshes witha nut fixed to the saddle whereby rotation of the feed screw will causetraversing movement of the table on the saddle.

The rear portion of the bed 31 is provided with an upstanding column onwhich a spindle carrier 36 is supported for vertical sliding movement bymeans of suitable ways provided on the bed. Movement of the spindlecarrier along the ways is effected by means of a hydraulic cylinderhaving a piston rod connected to the carrier 3r? to raise and lower thecarrier as hydraulic fluid is admitted to one end or the other of thecylinder.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the carrier 36 is fitted with a spindle 49which is arranged to be driven by a motor 41 through a conventionaltransmission housed within the spindle carrier. An arbor 42, on whichare mounted cutters 43, is attached to the spindle and held securelytherein by a drawbolt 44. The arbor 42 is supported along its length byarbor supports 45 which are mounted on an overarm 4-6 attached to thespindle carrier 35. A fly wheel 4-7 may be mounted on the cutter end ofthe arbor 42 to smooth out the impulses resulting from contact of theindividual teeth of cutters 43 with the work.

Work fixture The parts to be milled are supported on the table 33 bymeans of a work fixture shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6.

The workpieces 52 to be machined are supported between centers by aheadstock and tailstocks 51 to permit rotation of the work as the tableis traversed along the saddle, and also to permit indexing of theworkpieces after each flute has been cut therein. For this purpose theheadstock, which is arranged to be secured by bolts 53 to the table 33(FIG. 4), is fitted with as many spindles as there are workpieces to bemachined on each operation of the machine tool. In the presentembodiment of the invention, the machine is adapted to mill flutes inthree workpieces 52 simultaneously and, accordingly, the hcadstocl' St)is provided with 3 spindles 54-, 55, and 56. As shown in FlG. S, thecenter spindle 55 is journaled in the headstock frame without anyprovision for endwise shifting of this spindle. The spindles 54 and 55,however, are arranged for axial displacement and to this end arejouinaled in quills 57 and 58, respectively, which are in turn mountedfor longitudinal sliding movement in the headstock. Each spindle isprovided with a standard spindle nose 59 which supports a suitable workdriver or chuck 60 for supporting upper and lower ends in the headstockframe.

one end of each of the workpieces and for driving the work as thespindle is rotated. Each spindle is preferably of hollow constructionand provided with a drawbolt 61 for holding the work in the chuck.

As shown in FIG. 5, each spindle is journaled for rotation in bearings64 and all of the spindles are arranged to be rotated simultaneously inthe same direction by a hydraulic motor 65 mounted on the side of theheadstock. As shown in FIG. 6, the shaft of the hydraulic motor isconnected through a coupling 66 with a worm 67 which is journaled forrotation in the headstock. The worm 67 meshes with a worm wheel 68 (FIG.which is received on a reduced portion of the spindle 55. The worm wheelis connected to the spindle 55 by a key and is held in place by a nut 69meshing with threads formed on the spindle. The spindle 55 also haskeyed thereto a spur gear 70 which is held in place by a nut 71. Asshown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the gear 70 meshes with a pair of wide facedidler gears 72 and 73 which are mounted on shafts 74 and 75 journaledfor rotation in the headstock. The idler gears 72 and 73 in turn meshwith spur gears 76 and 77 which are keyed to the spindles 56 and 54,respectively being held in place thereon by nuts 78 and 79. Accordingly,if the central spindle 55 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 6, theidler gears 72 and 73 will be rotated counterclockwise thereby rotatingthe spindles 54 and 56 clockwise. Since the gears 70, 76 and 77 are ofthe same pitch diameter, the spindles all will rotate at the same speedand eflect synchronous rotation of the workpieces.

As mentioned earlier herein, the saddle 30 is arranged to be swiveled onthe base 31 to permit a desired helix angle to be selected. Thus, byreleasing bolts 85 (FIG. 2), the saddle may be swung about the pivotstud 32 to set any desired helix angle from zero degrees toapproximately 40 degrees as indicated by a scale 86 provided on thesaddle. To assist the operator in adjusting the saddle to the desiredangular position, a segmental rack 87 is secured to the bed of themachine by screws 80 as shown in FIG. 3. A hand lever 89 is pivotallysupported on a stud 90 depending from the bottom of the saddle. Theinner end of the lever 89 is formed with rack teeth adapted to mesh withthe teeth of the rack 87. The hand lever is held in raised or meshingposiiton, as shown in full lines in FIG. 3, by a spring pressed ball inthe hand lever which cooperates with a detent groove in the stud 90. Inthis position of the hand lever, the teeth on the lever cooperate withthe rack teeth 87 and by rotating the hand lever the saddle may be moveda short distance in either direction. By lowering the hand lever todisengage it from the rack teeth, as shown in the dotted outlineposition in FIG. 3, the lever may be then swung in the oppositedirection and again raised to the full line position for engagement withthe rack teeth to move the saddle a further increment in the desireddirection. After the saddle has been accurately positioned as indicatedby the scale 86, the bolts 85 may be tightened to clamp the saddle inthe adjusted position.

In order to correctly align the workpieces with the cutters when thetable is in an inclined position with respect to the arbor 42, it isnecessary to displace the spindles 54 and 55 with respect to the centerspindle 55 as indicated in FIG. 2. For this purpose the headstock isprovided with a handcrank 95 which turns a worm 96 (FIG. 4) meshing witha worm wheel 97. The worm wheel is formed on a shaft 98 which isjournaled at its Also formed on the shaft 98 is a spur gear 99 whichmeshes with gear teeth formed on the upper ends of pinions 100 and 101(FIG. 5). The lower ends of the pinions mesh with rack teeth 102 and 103formed in the quills 57 and 58,- respectively, whereby rotation of gear99 will Cause displacement of the quills in opposite directions. A dial104 provided with graduations 105 (FIG.

2) is secured to the upper end of the shaft 98 to indicate thedisplacement of the quills. The scale 105 is desirably groduated indegrees from zero to approximately 40 degrees corresponding with thegraduations on the saddle. Thereby, the dial 104 may be set by thehandcrank until the setting thereof corresponds to the degree setting ofthe scale 86 on the saddle. The quills 54 and 56 will then be displacedthe proper distance to cause the cutters 43 to engage the workpieces 52at corresponding longitudinal positions thereon so that the flutes willstart at the same locations on each of the three workpieces. In FIG. 2,the saddle is shown set to a helix angle of 30 degrees and when the dial104 is turned by the handcrank 95 to read 30 degrees on scale the angle5 made by a line drawn through the chucks with a line drawn through thechuck of the center spindle and perpendicular to the axis of the spindlewill likewise be 30 degrees.

Although the invention has been described in connection with onepossible form or embodiment thereof, and certain specific terms andlanguage have been used herein, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes andmodifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for producing longitudinally extending spiral flutessimultaneously on a plurality of workpieces, said machine having a bed,a swiveling saddle on said bed, a slide on said saddle, means includinga plurality of longitudinally adjustable spindles on said slide forrotatably supporting the workpieces in parallel relationship on theslide, and a plurality of cutting tools supported for rotation about acommon axis on said bed for cutting a flute in each of said workpieces,the invention comprising means for swinging said saddle to position theaxes of said spindles at an angle with respect to said cutting toolscorresponding to the helix angle of the flutes to be cut in theworkpieces, and means for simultaneously adjusting each of said spindleslongitudinally along said slide to maintain said spindles in properalignment with said cutting tools to enable the tools to cutcorresponding flutes in each of said workpieces.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said simultaneous adjusting meansincludes a manipulable member, and a dial operatively connected withsaid member for indicating the longitudinal adjustment of said spindlesin terms of the helix angle of the flutes to be cut in the workpieces.

3. The machine of claim 2, including a worm connected with saidmanipulable member for rotation thereby, a worm wheel meshing with saidworm, and driving connections extending from said worm wheel to saidspindles and to said dial for causing said dial to be rotated insynchronism with the longitudinal adjustment of said spindles.

4. The machine of claim 1 including a series of meshing gears forcausing simultaneous longitudinal adjustment of said spindles on saidslide, and a dial operatively connected with said gears for indicatingthe longitudinal adjustment of said spindles in terms of the helix angleof the flutes to be cut in the workpieces.

5. The machine of claim 4 including a dial for indicating the angularposition of said saddle in terms of the helix angle of the, flutes whichare to be cut in the workpieces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,454,181 Muller May 8, 1923 1,774,692 Armitage Sept. 2, 1930 1,972,818Romaine et al. Sept. 4, 1934

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PRODUCING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SPIRAL FLUTESSIMULTANEOUSLY ON A PLURALITY OF WORKPIECES, SAID MACHINE HAVING A BED,A SWIVELING SADDLE ON SAID BED, A SLIDE ON SAID SADDLE, MEANS INCLUDINGA PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTABLE SPINDLES ON SAID SLIDE FORROTATABLY SUPPORTING THE WORKPIECES IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP ON THESLIDE, AND A PLURALITY OF CUTTING TOOLS SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT ACOMMON AXIS ON SAID BED FOR CUTTING A FLUTE IN EACH OF SAID WORKPIECES,THE INVENTION COMPRISING MEANS FOR SWINGING SAID SADDLE TO POSITION THEAXES OF SAID SPINDLES AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID CUTTING TOOLSCORRESPONDING TO THE HELIX ANGLE OF THE FLUTES TO BE CUT IN THEWORKPIECES, AND MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTING EACH OF SAID SPINDLESLONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID SLIDE TO MAINTAIN SAID SPINDLES IN PROPERALIGNMENT WITH SAID CUTTING TOOLS TO ENABLE THE TOOLS TO CUTCORRESPONDING FLUTES IN EACH OF SAID WORKPIECES.